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Six members of a gang who shot at police officers during riots in Birmingham last August were jailed today for up to 30 years.

CCTV footage released by West Midlands Police showed shots being fired at the force’s helicopter (Picture: PA)

Birmingham Crown Court had heard how the men lured police to a blaze at a pub before opening fire, with West Midlands Police’s helicopter also targeted.

Among the offences the five men and one teenager were convicted of were rioting, reckless arson and firearms possession.

Nicholas Francis, 26, was jailed for 30 years; Jermaine Lewis, 27, received a 23-year sentence, as did 20-year-old Tyrone Laidley; while Renardo Farrell, 20, and Wayne Collins, 25, were both handed jail terms of 18 years.

The 17-year-old also convicted, who can now be named as Amirul Rehman, was jailed for 12 years.

Jermaine Lewis (left) and Tyrone Laidley (Picture: PA)

During a six-week trial jurors had been shown CCTV footage of a group of more than 40 people rioting outside the Bartons Arms in Aston on August 9.

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Judge William Davis described their offences as a ‘concerted attack on the police’.

‘Members of the group attacked the building. They smashed windows, they went inside and ransacked the premises. They threw chairs and tables out on to the pavement,’ he said.

‘Other members of the group stayed on the pavement outside the building. Some threw missiles, bottles and the like, at a passing police car.

‘Others lit petrol bombs that had been brought to the scene.

‘The purpose of all this was not to loot or to steal. Nor was it mindless vandalism.

‘The purpose, the common purpose, was to behave in such a way that the police would come to the scene and then to attack the police.’